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Sal Maiorana: Tackling the Bills' draft needs

Sal's take: The Bills' draft needs

There are five key areas the Bills should address in this year's NFL Draft, according to beat writer Sal Maiorana. The draft is held May 8-10 in New York City. The Bills have the 9th overall pick, followed by 41, 73, 109, 149 and 224.

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Jake Matthews of Texas A&M is one of three top tackles up for grabs in this year's NFL Draft.USA Today Sports

Bills draft needs

Offensive tackle

Quarterback EJ Manuel needs a big-time wide receiver, but picking No. 9 in the first round, the Bills probably aren't going to get the chance to grab Clemson's Sammy Watkins or Texas A&M's Mike Evans. It makes no sense to reach for someone else, especially given that Manuel also needs to be protected. Right tackle Erik Pears must be replaced, and there are three stud tackles in this draft: Greg Robinson of Auburn, Jake Matthews of Texas A&M, and Taylor Lewan of Michigan.

Robinson isn't going to be on the board at Buffalo's slot, but there's a chance Matthews and/or Lewan will be. Of the two, Matthews is the safer bet, if for no other reason his genealogy. His father, Bruce is a Pro Football Hall of Famer, and his cousin, Clay, is an All-Pro linebacker with the Packers. If Lewan is the lone survivor at No. 9, he's still worth the value and could probably start from day one, providing a nice bookend situation with Cordy Glenn.

Kelvin Benjamin is 6-foot-5 with a giant wingspan, plus, he's got a year of experience with EJ Manuel under his belt. USA Today Sports

Bills draft needs

Wide Receiver

The Bills were recently rumored to have been interested in trading up to Houston's No. 1 overall pick in the draft. It's a preposterous idea because you really only do that to go get a quarterback, plus, the cost in forfeited draft picks would be prohibitive for a team that needs all the draft picks it can get. But if the Bills truly covet a player like Sammy Watkins, who would solve their need for a true No. 1 wideout, a move up to No. 3 ahead of Cleveland wouldn't be crazy because Watkins is far and away the best receiver in this class.

More reasonable, though, would be addressing this need in the second round (No. 41 overall), and an obvious candidate would be Florida State's Kelvin Benjamin. At 6-foot-5, 240 pounds, Benjamin is exactly the size receiver Buffalo needs. He's not a burner (4.61 seconds in the 40) and he needs polish in his route running, but he has a giant wingspan, which would come in handy because Manuel isn't the most accurate of passers. The kicker, though, is that Benjamin played one year with Manuel so you could assume there would be instant chemistry.

Ryan Shazier could be a player for the Bills to target in the second round.USA Today Sports

Bills draft needs

Linebacker

With new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz likely moving to more four-man fronts, the Bills need to look for an outside linebacker. Spikes will be the MLB, and Kiko Alonso is being shifted out to the weakside spot. Veteran Manny Lawson is mainly a run-down player, so getting someone more versatile to cover and even pass rush would be prudent. Nigel Bradham and Rivers will get a look, but a more permanent solution is preferable.

Ohio State's Ryan Shazier, a 6-1, 237-pounder, is projected as a late first-round, early second-round pick, and he's already been to Buffalo for a visit. If he slides to Buffalo's second-round slot, he might be a fine choice. He started 29 games for the Buckeyes and piled up 315 career tackles, 44 for losses, and is considered one of those speedy sideline-to-sideline players.

The loss of Byrd is significant. He was an outstanding playmaker and those players are difficult to replace. Williams enjoyed a solid first season at safety after switching from cornerback, and he'll slide into Byrd's free safety slot. Da'Norris Searcy is serviceable at strong safety, with unproven Jonathan Meeks and Duke Williams in reserve.

I wouldn't expect the Bills to make a move at this position before the third round, so it's awfully tough to predict who they would look at. A lot depends on what they think of Meeks and Duke Williams. If they aren't enamored, this could be a third-round pick. If not, they could wait to the fifth or sixth round to pick a safety.

Zach Mettenberger of LSU could be an option for the Bills in the third round or later. USA Today Sports

Bills draft needs

Quarterback

General manager Doug Whaley continues to say that he's perfectly confident in the four quarterbacks he has: Manuel, Thad Lewis, Jeff Tuel and Dennis Dixon. However, I get the sense his confidence isn't shared by many outside the construction zone that is One Bills Drive.

There is no logical reason why the Bills shouldn't pick a quarterback in this draft. Not in the first round, not in the second round, but certainly as early as the third round. Players like A.J. McCarron of Alabama and Zach Mettenberger of LSU will likely be there when the Bills pick No. 73 overall in the third. Neither is ready to step in and play in the NFL, but both possess more long-term upside than Lewis, Tuel or Dixon.

One month into the NFL free agency period, and roughly one month away from the start of the 2014 NFL draft essentially constitutes a lull in the league calendar, meaning it's a perfect time to take stock of how the Buffalo Bills have fared in free agency, and what they need to do in the draft.

The Bills didn't make any big splashes in free agency, but they created a few gentle waves (and in the usually desolate trade market) — moves that, on paper, are definite upgrades.

In a one-week span in mid-March, the Bills signed linebackers Brandon Spikes and Keith Rivers, offensive lineman Chris Williams, cornerback Corey Graham and running back Anthony Dixon; re-signed kicker Dan Carpenter and tight end Scott Chandler; and gave safety Aaron Williams a lucrative contract extension. And then last week, they sent a sixth-round draft pick to Tampa Bay for wide receiver Mike Williams.

Those additions far outweigh the subtractions of safety Jairus Byrd taking flight to New Orleans for enormous money, defensive lineman Alex Carrington (Rams) and linebacker Arthur Moats (Steelers) bolting because the Bills didn't make much of a push to retain either, and quarterback Kevin Kolb being released.

With the bulk of the veteran player movement complete, the focus shifts to the unofficial national holiday known as the NFL draft. Here's a look at the five positions the Bills must address in the selection process May 8-10.

Offensive tackle

Quarterback EJ Manuel needs a big-time wide receiver, but picking No. 9 in the first round, the Bills probably aren't going to get the chance to grab Clemson's Sammy Watkins or Texas A&M's Mike Evans. It makes no sense to reach for someone else, especially given that Manuel also needs to be protected. Right tackle Erik Pears must be replaced, and there are three stud tackles in this draft: Greg Robinson of Auburn, Jake Matthews of Texas A&M, and Taylor Lewan of Michigan.

Robinson isn't going to be on the board at Buffalo's slot, but there's a chance Matthews and/or Lewan will be. Of the two, Matthews is the safer bet, if for no other reason his genealogy. His father, Bruce is a Pro Football Hall of Famer, and his cousin, Clay, is an All-Pro linebacker with the Packers. If Lewan is the lone survivor at No. 9, he's still worth the value and could probably start from day one, providing a nice bookend situation with Cordy Glenn.

Wide receiver

The Bills were recently rumored to have been interested in trading up to Houston's No. 1 overall pick in the draft. It's a preposterous idea because you really only do that to go get a quarterback, plus, the cost in forfeited draft picks would be prohibitive for a team that needs all the draft picks it can get. But if the Bills truly covet a player like Watkins, who would solve their need for a true No. 1 wideout, a move up to No. 3 ahead of Cleveland wouldn't be crazy because Watkins is far and away the best receiver in this class.

More reasonable, though, would be addressing this need in the second round (No. 41 overall), and an obvious candidate would be Florida State's Kelvin Benjamin. At 6-foot-5, 240 pounds, Benjamin is exactly the size receiver Buffalo needs. He's not a burner (4.61 seconds in the 40) and he needs polish in his route running, but he has a giant wingspan, which would come in handy because Manuel isn't the most accurate of passers. The kicker, though, is that Benjamin played one year with Manuel so you could assume there would be instant chemistry.

With new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz likely moving to more four-man fronts, the Bills need to look for an outside linebacker. Spikes will be the MLB, and Kiko Alonso is being shifted out to the weakside spot. Veteran Manny Lawson is mainly a run-down player, so getting someone more versatile to cover and even pass rush would be prudent. Nigel Bradham and Rivers will get a look, but a more permanent solution is preferable.

Ohio State's Ryan Shazier, a 6-1, 237-pounder, is projected as a late first-round, early second-round pick, and he's already been to Buffalo for a visit. If he slides to Buffalo's second-round slot, he might be a fine choice. He started 29 games for the Buckeyes and piled up 315 career tackles, 44 for losses, and is considered one of those speedy sideline-to-sideline players.

USA Today video: Shazier: I'm a very versatile player

Former Ohio St. linebacker Ryan Shazier addresses the media at the media at the NFL Combine.

Safety

The loss of Byrd is significant. He was an outstanding playmaker and those players are difficult to replace. Williams enjoyed a solid first season at safety after switching from cornerback, and he'll slide into Byrd's free safety slot. Da'Norris Searcy is serviceable at strong safety, with unproven Jonathan Meeks and Duke Williams in reserve.

I wouldn't expect the Bills to make a move at this position before the third round, so it's awfully tough to predict who they would look at. A lot depends on what they think of Meeks and Duke Williams. If they aren't enamored, this could be a third-round pick. If not, they could wait to the fifth or sixth round to pick a safety.

Quarterback

General manager Doug Whaley continues to say that he's perfectly confident in the four quarterbacks he has: Manuel, Thad Lewis, Jeff Tuel and Dennis Dixon. However, I get the sense his confidence isn't shared by many outside the construction zone that is One Bills Drive.

There is no logical reason why the Bills shouldn't pick a quarterback in this draft. Not in the first round, not in the second round, but certainly as early as the third round. Players like A.J. McCarron of Alabama and Zach Mettenberger of LSU will likely be there when the Bills pick No. 73 overall in the third. Neither is ready to step in and play in the NFL, but both possess more long-term upside than Lewis, Tuel or Dixon.

Bills picks

The Buffalo Bills have six selections in the upcoming NFL draft. The only round the Bills don't have a pick is the sixth. The overall selections are 9, 41, 73, 109, 149 and 224.

A look back

A brief history of the Bills' first-round draft picks in last the five years.

Year

Player

Position

School

2009

Aaron Maybin

defensive end

Penn State

2009

Eric Wood

center

Louisville

2010

C.J. Spiller

running back

Clemson

2011

Marcell Dareus

defensive tackle

Alabama

2012

Stephon Gilmore

cornerback

S. Carolina

2013

EJ Manuel

quarterback

Fla. State

Photos: Bills' biggest first-round busts

5) J.P. Losman
Year: 2004
Pick: 22
Position: QB
School: Tulane
Sal's take: "Bills traded back up into the first round, thinking he was their QB of the future. He wasn't." (Photo: DAVID DUPREY AP)

3) Tom Cousineau
Year: 1979
Pick: 1
Position: LB
School: Ohio State
Sal's take: "He refused to play for the Bills, and never did as he fled to Canada, a colossal waste of a No. 1 overall choice." (Photo: AP / Ohio State University)

2) Aaron Maybin
Year: 2009
Pick: 11
Position: DE/OLB
School: Penn State
Sal's take: "A total head-scratcher the day he was picked, and he was overmatched in the NFL from his first practice on." (Photo: Don Heupel ASSOCIATED PRESS)

1) Walt Patulski
Year: 1972
Pick: 1
Position: DE
School: Notre Dame
Sal's take: "The Bills used the No. 1 overall pick on him in the hope he could be a dominant pass rusher, but he proved to be incapable." (Photo: Anonymous ASSOCIATED PRESS)

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5) Jim Ritcher
Year: 1980
Pick: 16
Position: C
School: N.C. State
Sal's take: "He was underappreciated throughout his career, but was one of the best offensive linemen in the NFL for much of that time."
Pick: 26
Position: G
School: Michigan State
Sal's take: "Was part of the famed Electric Company offensive line that turned on the Juice, and he wound up in the Hall of Fame." (Photo: HC ASSOCIATED PRESS)

4) Joe DeLamielleure
Year: 1973
Pick: 26
Position: G
School: Michigan State
Sal's take: "Was part of the famed Electric Company offensive line that turned on the Juice, and he wound up in the Hall of Fame." (Photo: HC ASSOCIATED PRESS)